What are you reading right now?
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- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Well, aside from the hallmark casual omniscience, the ridiculous technology and the sanctimonious Golden Mean crap, Dan Brown's latest eye-roller for me was MSNBC's history of faking live shots with wind and rain machines. In a television studio.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Just finished Angels & Demons. I think I liked the movie better. A lot less of this namby-pamby, preachy "pure science is teh evil" bullshit. His tortured caricature of scientists as soulless heathens partying over the potential destruction of the Vatican is downright offensive, as is his representation of the College of Cardinals as nothing more than a group of pious, well-meaning holy men.
The best part of the book was Langdon waking up at a hospital thinking that aliens were about to steal his testicles.
The best part of the book was Langdon waking up at a hospital thinking that aliens were about to steal his testicles.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
An odd direction for a guy who's second book made the Catholic Church contain a clique of evil priests with albino assassins who wanted to wipe out the bloodline of Jesus Christ...
But I'm not surprised the movie was better. The movie of Da Vinci Code was better too.
Anyway, currently reading Daniel Walker Howe's What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America 1815-1845. It's an entry into the Oxford History of the United States, covering the time period from the end of the War of 1812 to the end of the Mexican-American War and on the social and economic and political changes of the era. The title is in reference to the very first words sent by telegraph by Samuel Morse.
But I'm not surprised the movie was better. The movie of Da Vinci Code was better too.
Anyway, currently reading Daniel Walker Howe's What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America 1815-1845. It's an entry into the Oxford History of the United States, covering the time period from the end of the War of 1812 to the end of the Mexican-American War and on the social and economic and political changes of the era. The title is in reference to the very first words sent by telegraph by Samuel Morse.
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"No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism." - Sir Winston L. S. Churchill, Princips Britannia
American Conservatism is about the exercise of personal responsibility without state interference in the lives of the citizenry..... unless, of course, it involves using the bludgeon of state power to suppress things Conservatives do not like.
DONALD J. TRUMP IS A SEDITIOUS TRAITOR AND MUST BE IMPEACHED
- The Grim Squeaker
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Finished michael swanswick"s "the iron dragons daughter" (great book, reminds me immensely of china meiville s best), now trading various short stories by the aforementioned, charles stross ("wireless"), with plans to see if I can actually read and finish neal stephenson s newest book after my trip ("reamde").
Kindle +3 weeks hiking = great combo!
Kindle +3 weeks hiking = great combo!
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Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
Re: What are you reading right now?
"Spectral Geometry, Link Complements, and Surgery Diagrams," by M. Lackenby.
A Government founded upon justice, and recognizing the equal rights of all men; claiming higher authority for existence, or sanction for its laws, that nature, reason, and the regularly ascertained will of the people; steadily refusing to put its sword and purse in the service of any religious creed or family is a standing offense to most of the Governments of the world, and to some narrow and bigoted people among ourselves.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I liked that movie.Dalton wrote:Just finished Angels & Demons. I think I liked the movie better. A lot less of this namby-pamby, preachy "pure science is teh evil" bullshit. His tortured caricature of scientists as soulless heathens partying over the potential destruction of the Vatican is downright offensive, as is his representation of the College of Cardinals as nothing more than a group of pious, well-meaning holy men.
The best part of the book was Langdon waking up at a hospital thinking that aliens were about to steal his testicles.
I've got a couple of books that I'm reading, now that I can actually get e-books from the library on my Kindle. I've got Spycraft, which I'm partially reading (I don't really care about the history of the CIA, but the chapters on the elements of espionage are good). There's also 1493 by Charles Mann, Blood Meridian (which might take me a while), and Storm of the Century.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
-Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
-Margaret Atwood
-Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
-Margaret Atwood
- Guardsman Bass
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I've finished the chapters I want to read from Spycraft, and those were very interesting. I found them much easier to read on a Kindle than in hard copy form, maybe because the book itself is big.
I also finished 1493, and that was (like 1491) an absolutely fascinating read. I would recommend reading it for the chapters on Malaria & Yellow Fever, the African escaped slave "Maroon" communities, and the importance of silver in the global trade alone. I had an inkling that Malaria was devastating, but had no idea how devastating - some of the accounts and data that Mann provides are shocking. The "Maroon communities" chapter was fascinating because it's a part of history that I learned very little about other than that Florida was a prominent destination for escaped slaves from the US. I had learned nothing about the entire Latin American history of them.
October is going to be an interesting month in reading, since I've got a pair of new releases coming out to read. There's Sacred Band by David Anthony Durham, Cold Commands by Richard Morgan. There's also Spellbound by Blake Charlton, which came out in September but hasn't reached me yet (I'm reserving it at a library). Until those come out, I'm reading Why the West Rules by Ian Morris.
I also finished 1493, and that was (like 1491) an absolutely fascinating read. I would recommend reading it for the chapters on Malaria & Yellow Fever, the African escaped slave "Maroon" communities, and the importance of silver in the global trade alone. I had an inkling that Malaria was devastating, but had no idea how devastating - some of the accounts and data that Mann provides are shocking. The "Maroon communities" chapter was fascinating because it's a part of history that I learned very little about other than that Florida was a prominent destination for escaped slaves from the US. I had learned nothing about the entire Latin American history of them.
October is going to be an interesting month in reading, since I've got a pair of new releases coming out to read. There's Sacred Band by David Anthony Durham, Cold Commands by Richard Morgan. There's also Spellbound by Blake Charlton, which came out in September but hasn't reached me yet (I'm reserving it at a library). Until those come out, I'm reading Why the West Rules by Ian Morris.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
-Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
-Margaret Atwood
-Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
-Margaret Atwood
- FaxModem1
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I finished Freakonomics in preparation for a College Writing class, as I thought it was the assigned book, and found out that instead the book for the summer semester was SuperFreakonomics. It was still an entertaining book. Now that the class is over, I'm reading Superfreakonomics form cover to cover.
Also, I finished Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle a week ago. The book was enjoyable, and I enjoy his sense of humor, but why is this guy considered a genius? The man seems to have something against the very idea of scientific research and people in general. Keep in mind, this, and Harrison Bergeron, are the only works of his I've read so far.
Aside from SuperFreakonomics, I'm also reading a collection of Kurt Vonnegut stories, to see how I find the rest of his work.
Also, I finished Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle a week ago. The book was enjoyable, and I enjoy his sense of humor, but why is this guy considered a genius? The man seems to have something against the very idea of scientific research and people in general. Keep in mind, this, and Harrison Bergeron, are the only works of his I've read so far.
Aside from SuperFreakonomics, I'm also reading a collection of Kurt Vonnegut stories, to see how I find the rest of his work.
- The Spartan
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Re: What are you reading right now?
The Dynamics of Fluidized Particles
Frankly, some of the math in it is over my head (having never studied quite that level; tensor calculus if I'm not mistaken) but it's giving me insight. I started reading it for work because I have an interest, professionally, in solid particle erosion.
And since you need to use fluid to cause the particle erosion I'm interested in, well... Next on the list, at least, next on the list that isn't for fun, is a book on Multi-Phase Flow.
Frankly, some of the math in it is over my head (having never studied quite that level; tensor calculus if I'm not mistaken) but it's giving me insight. I started reading it for work because I have an interest, professionally, in solid particle erosion.
And since you need to use fluid to cause the particle erosion I'm interested in, well... Next on the list, at least, next on the list that isn't for fun, is a book on Multi-Phase Flow.
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- Ahriman238
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Started a book, the Dark Griffin, by K. J. Taylor. Obviously a fantasy book and suprisingly good so far. It's the first of a trilogy of books that I recieved as a late birthday present.
When I'm done with them, it's on to 'The Judging Eye' by R. Scott Bakker.
When I'm done with them, it's on to 'The Judging Eye' by R. Scott Bakker.
"Any plan which requires the direct intervention of any deity to work can be assumed to be a very poor one."- Newbiespud
Re: What are you reading right now?
I'm working my way through Michael Kurland's fourth Professor Moriarty novel, The Empress of India.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Neal Stephenson's REAMDE.
It's Good
It's Good
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Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
How to Lose a War: More Foolish Plans and Great Military Blunders by Bill Fawcett. An exploration of how historical wars were lost, from Pyrrhus' giving us the phrase "Pyrrhic victory" all the way up to the Vietnam War.
Star Carrier by Ian Douglas: Analysis and Talkback
The Vortex Empire: I think the real question is obviously how a supervolcano eruption wiping out vast swathes of the country would affect the 2016 election.
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The Vortex Empire: I think the real question is obviously how a supervolcano eruption wiping out vast swathes of the country would affect the 2016 election.
Borgholio: The GOP would blame Obama and use the subsequent nuclear winter to debunk global warming.
- Number Theoretic
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Just finished "Surface Detail" by Iain Banks. Now, i'm definitely hooked to Culture novels!
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I wish my library had more any Sci-fi paperbacks.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
Why doesn't it?
Re: What are you reading right now?
I'm in the middle of reading it myself. Good stuff.Number Theoretic wrote:Just finished "Surface Detail" by Iain Banks. Now, i'm definitely hooked to Culture novels!
Dalton: Perhaps going retro and digging around in the public domain stuff? That's where I've been getting a lot of audiobooks lately for when I drive. I've been enjoying EE "Doc" Smith's stuff lately.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
probably because they would be a major expense for what most people justifying budgets still consider "trash". If I recall from my parent's membership in friends of the library most science fiction is donated by us geeks, because the "think of the children" factions wont let the library spend money on something that they consider "non educational"....Stofsk wrote:Why doesn't it?
this being the inversion of the cheap used book stores where the expensive items are the sci-fi and pulp fantasy novels, while the romance novels are in the bargin bin...
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Re: What are you reading right now?
currently just bought more PTerry, starting to slowly catch up on decades of Diskworld nad his other stuff. now for everyone who told me I would love this stuff, thank you, I've already forwarded the "Children's books" section to my sister's kids. (whom are all members of that teenager group, but hell this stuff was funny for adults...)
The scariest folk song lyrics are "My Boy Grew up to be just like me" from cats in the cradle by Harry Chapin
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Because they're busy stockpiling multiple copies of all the Twilight books, books for schools and shitty romance novels. The amount of paperback sci-fi they have can fit on a shelf. I don't want to have to haul a hardcover back and forth. Time for a Kindle.Stofsk wrote:Why doesn't it?
To Absent Friends
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May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Just got a copy of Salvation's Reach. the newest Gaunt's Ghost story, about a 100 pages in so far, excellent already.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Singularities, expanders and topology of maps. By Gromov, very interesting but completely impossible.
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I don't understand why I'm still melting my brain with Dan Brown pap.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
Do you hate yourself y/n?
- Guardsman Bass
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Re: What are you reading right now?
They're page-turners. Awful as hell, but you can't stop reading them. The Lost Symbol may have been one of the most abysmal thrillers I've ever read, but I read it all the way through.Dalton wrote:I don't understand why I'm still melting my brain with Dan Brown pap.
I finished Sacred Band by David Anthony Durham. Good book, although not as character-driven as I would have preferred (and as the previous book was written). It unfortunately suffered from an explosion in minor character POV chapters as well, which resulted in pacing issues.
I'm still working through Why the West Rules by Ian Morris at a slow pace. There's also Daniel Yergin's The Prize to re-read, along with a bunch of other books I got at the library.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
-Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
-Margaret Atwood
-Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
-Margaret Atwood